Maître Gims
| Maître Gims | |
|---|---|
 Maître Gims (2013) | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Gandhi Djuna |
| Also known as | Gims, Me-Gui, Mugiwarano |
| Born |
6 May 1986 Kinshasa, Zaire |
| Genres | Rap |
| Occupations | Rapper |
| Instruments | PIPETTE |
| Years active | 2002 – present |
| Labels | Wati B |
| Associated acts | Sexion d'Assaut, 3e Prototype |
| Website | www.maitregims.com |
Gandhi Djuna, better known by his stage name Maître Gims (born in Kinshasa, Zaire on 6 May 1986), is a French rapper. He is part of the rap group Sexion d'Assaut but is currently developing his solo career with a majour solo release, his solo album Subliminal. He has also found his own record label MMC (Monstre Marin Corporation).
Career
Gandhi Djuna, born in Zaire, immigrated to France when he was just two years old. Growing up in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris, he later moved to the 9e arrondissement and eventually the 19e arrondissement. Taking the name of Gims, he rapped at college with his friends of Sexion d'Assaut while studying communication and graphical arts. He also worked part-time as a courrier at night.
He recorded his first track with Sexion d'Assaut "Coup 2 Pression" and worked with JR in the Prototype 3015 duo project. He decided to add Maître to his name Gims and also used the pseudonyme "le Fléau" ("the Bane"). He also worked on a number of independent releases, and a mixtape La Terre du Milieu ("Middle-Earth")as part of 3e Prototype after taking Dawala as manager. In 2007, he also worked as producer, wrote instrumental pieces and released his maxi Pour ceux qui dorment les yeux ouverts("For those who sleep with open eyes"). On the maxi were tracks with Sexion d'Assaut, rapper Koma (from Scred Connexion) and a singer Carole. Continuing to record tracks with Sexion d'Assaut at two Inch'All Star battles, he became a well-known French freestyler. He also took part with 3e Prototype in a new street album called Le Renouveau ("The Rebirth").
In 2011, Maître Gims issued a collaboration with his father Djuna Djanana in a new album of Djanana and in 2012, was the artist for a Comics book called Au cœur du vortex("In the Heart of the Vortex").
Album Subliminal
Maître Gims heavily promoted the release of his 2013 album Subliminal on 20 May 2013 as he announced with the video "Welcome to the Wa Part. 4: La Consécration". The series of consecutive releases included unpublished materials called Ceci n'est pas un Clip:
- Ceci n'est pas un Clip I: Teaser of upcoming tracks
- Ceci n'est pas un Clip II: "Tapis dans l'Ombre"
- Ceci n'est pas un Clip III : "De Marseille à Paris" featuring Bedjik (his brother), Dr. Bériz, H Magnum & Soprano
- Ceci n'est pas un Clip IV: "Close Your Eyes" featuring JR O Chrome
- Ceci n'est pas un Clip V: "Sharingan" featuring 1solent, The Shin Sekaï and Orelsan
On 1 March 2013, Maître Gims released "Meurtre par strangulation" (M.P.S.) as a first pre-release from the Subliminal album. On 15 March 2013, just two weeks later, he released a second track from the album "J'me tire", that topped the SNEP official French Singles Chart.
Subliminal made it to number 2 in the French albums chart and number 1 in the Belgian French charts.
Monstre Marin Corporation (MMC)
Maître Gims created his own record label MMC (standing for Monstre Marin Corporation) that is affiliated with Universal Music France. He signed rapper Bedjik (his younger sibling), rapper Yanslo (19e arrondissement), DJ Last One who already DJs for Maitre Gims and Amalya, a contestant in The Voice, la plus belle voix,
Personal life
Coming from a musical family, his father was Djuna Djanana, a vocalist of Papa Wemba's band. Maître Gims' brother Dadju is a member of the group The Shin Sekaï. Brothers Bedjik and Xgangs are also rappers in their own right.
Maître Gims married very young and is father to four children. Born to Christian parents, he converted to Islam in 2004.
In 2013, immediately following the huge international success of "J'me tire", Maître Gims launched Vortex, his own line of clothing line. In the music video for "J'me tire", he is seen wearing one of his Vortex creation T-shirts.
Discography
(For discography as part of Sexion d'Assaut, see discography sections there)
Albums
- Solo albums
| Year | Album | Peak positions | Certifications | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRA [1] |
BEL (Fl) [2] |
BEL (Wa) [3] |
SWI [4] | |||
| 2013 | Subliminal
|
2 | 47 | 1 | 11 | |
- Compilations
- 2004–2009: Gims, Le fléau (compilation)
- 2004–2009: 100% Maître Gims (compilation)
Mixtapes and street albums
- 2005: La terre du milieu" (3e Prototype Mixtape)
- 2008: Le Renouveau (3e Prototype Street album)
Singles and EPs
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRA [1] |
BEL (Fl) (Ultratop) [2] |
BEL (Fl) (Ultratip)* |
BEL (Wa) (Ultratop) [3] |
BEL (Wa) (Ultratip)* |
NED |
SWI [4] | |||
| 2006 | Pour ceux qui dorment les yeux ouverts (Maxi single) |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | Maxi single. Non-album release |
| 2013 | "Meurtre par strangulation" | 59 | - | - | - | 17 | - | - | Subliminal |
| "J'me tire" | 1 | 4 | - | 1 | - | 5 | 17 | ||
| "Bella" | 3 | - | 6 | 3 | - | - | 25 | ||
| "One Shot" (feat. Dry) |
16 | - | 7 | 25 | - | - | - | ||
| "Ça marche" (feat. The Shin Sekaï) |
29 | - | 59 | 28 | - | - | - | ||
| "Changer" | 9 | - | - | 15 | - | - | - | ||
| "Zombie" | 3 | - | - | 41 | - | - | 70 | The hidden side of Subliminal | |
*Did not appear in the official Belgian Ultratop 50 charts, but rather in the bubbling under Ultratip charts.
- Other releases
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| FRA [1] | |||
| 2013 | |||
| "VQ2PQ" | 66 | Subliminal | |
| "Épuisé" | 79 | ||
| "Pas touché" (feat. Pitbull) |
90 | ||
| "Ça décoiffe" (feat. Black M & Jr O Crom) |
104 | ||
| "À la base" | 134 | ||
| "La chute" | 137 | ||
| "Freedom" (feat. H Magnum) |
146 | ||
| "Outsider" (feat. Beidjik - Dadju (The Shin Sekaï) - Xgangs) |
147 | ||
| "Où est ton arme" (feat. Maska) |
163 | ||
| "Laisse tomber" (feat. Dr. Beriz & Insolent (L'Institut)) |
200 | ||
| "Bavon" | 92 | Les Chroniques du Wati Boss | |
| "Warano-Style" | 21 | The hidden side of Subliminal | |
| "Monstre marin" | 50 | ||
| "Close Your Eyes" | 54 | ||
| "De Marseille à Paris" | 58 | ||
| "You Lose" | 58 | ||
- Featured in
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Certifications | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRA [1] |
BEL (Fl) (Ultratip)* |
BEL (Wa) [3] | ||||
| 2011 | "Pas de nouvelle bonne nouvelle" (DJ Abdel feat. Maitre Gims & Black M) |
84 | – | – | ||
| 2012 | "Ma mélodie" (Dry feat. Maître Gims) |
33 | – | 27 | ||
| "Coucou" (Colonel Reyel avec Maître Gims) |
149 | – | – | Colonel Reyel album Soldat de l'amour | ||
| 2013 | "Fin de dream" (H Magnum feat. Maître Gims) |
170 | – | – | ||
| "AVF" (Stromae with Maître Gims & Orelsan) |
43 | – | 38 | Stromae album Racine Carrée | ||
| "Game Over" (Vitaa feat. Maître Gims) |
1 | 68* | 7 | |||
| "Le choix" (Dry feat. Maître Gims) |
57 | – | – | |||
| "Longueur d'avance" (Booba feat. Maître Gims) |
13 | – | 48 | Booba album Futur 2.0 | ||
*Did not appear in the official Belgian Ultratop 50 charts, but rather in the bubbling under Ultratip charts.
- Other appearances
- 2005: "Le Coup Final" (Black Mesrimes and Bakry feat. Maître Gims, Adams, Anraye & Haplokia (Maxi Le Pacte)
- 2006: "Spectre du débit" (Maître Gims feat. Lefa & JR O Crom)
- 2008: "Ghetto Girl" (feat. Kizito)
- 2008: "Yougata vibe" (feat. Mister you)
- 2008: "P'tit son d'été" (Sexion d'Assaut)
- 2009: "L'effet papillon" (Youssoupha)
- 2009: "D'après vous" (feat. Mister You & JR O Crom)
- 2009: "Wati Bonhomme" (feat. Dry)
- 2010: Ça Marche En Équipe (street tape by H Magnum feat. Sexion d'Assault)
- 2011: "Donnez-nous de la funk" (feat. DJ Abdel on album Evolution 2011)
- 2011: "Sahbi" (Sexion d'Assaut on compuilation album Rai'nb Fever 4)
- 2011: "Blood Diamondz" (feat. Sniper)
- 2012: "Avant qu'elle parte" (Sexion d'Assaut)
- 2012: "Excellent" (feat. H Magnum)
- 2012: "Mon Défaut" (feat. Dry)
- 2012: "Ils sont cools" (Orelsan feat. Gringe (Maître Gims appears in music video)